Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/209

 ii. SEPT. 10, '98.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

201

LONDON, SATVRDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1S9S.

CONTENTS. No. 37.

NOTES : Alba Longa and Sir W. Gell, 201 Portraits of Cromwell, 202 Shakspeariana, 203 Misquotation Rivers' Banks Value of Money Esdras, 205 Boswell t>. Lock- bart Cataloguing "Cherry-cob" The Devil as a Black Dog, 206.

QUERIES: J. Gr. Grsevius Figure-head Tintern Abbey Mesham Moor Wbycherly St. Ida Peter Puget, 207 Petiver's Museum French Village Names Sir Peter Glynn London and Essex Clergy " Aiden" Siege of Derry Grass of Parnassus ValdarnoJ. Brarafleld anl Richard Hobbey " Progressing " Style, 208-Thomas Taylor Lady Bab Frightful J. F. de Waldeck Crom- well's Followers" Hoyle," 209.

REPLIES: "Coll. Reg. Oxon." Hamlake=Helmsley, 209 Boots and Sandals Cheltenham A Domestic Implement, 2io "Who stole the donkey ?" Puddledock Cousin- First Folio of Shakspeare " Table de Communion," 211 Laws concerning Names Old Burial-ground of St. Clement Danes " Flam." 212 " Tata " ' Bradshaw's Railway Guide,' 213 Chinese Punishments Cedar Trees Who wrote 'The Pilgrim's Progress'? Charter relat- ing to St. Peter's, Wolverbampton, 214 Leigh: Lea " Housty " Wild Forest Bulls, 215 Brimpsfield Natio- nality, 216 Brothers with the same Christian Name, 217 Thackeray's Latin Gilbert Cooper Short a v. Italian a Ravensworth '^Cyclist": "Bike" Sir W. Beaumaris Rush, 218 Scarnientado, 219.

NOTES ON BOOKS : Kendrick's 'Cathedral Church of

Lincoln' Reviews and Magazines. Notices to Correspondents.

ALBA LONGA AND SIR WILLIAM GELL.

A GREAT deal has been written at various times concerning the site of Alba, Longa, " quse ab situ porrectse in dorso urbis Longa Alba appellata"; but it can hardly be said that satisfactory light has been thrown upon the subject. It is perhaps still a problem, and it is one which has offered for solution difficulties far greater than those concerning such sites as those of Gabii, Ficulea, or Col- latia difficulties, in fact, which may better be compared with those which have attended the identification of Lake Regillus, at last so satisfactorily overcome by my friend Mr. Wm. Ashby, Jun.* But for a long while past the asserted discoveries near Palazzolo, made by our countryman Sir William Gell, have been held absolute confirmation of the views of elder antiquaries. The latter held that, because Palazzolo occupies a position conforming to the description in Dionysius, which declares Alba to have stood between the mountain and the lake, therefore the latter town could only have been situated in the immediate neighbourhood of Palazzolo. Gell, accordingly, places Alba Longa upon

Jtendiconti detta Recde Accademia dei Lined.
 * ' Sul Vero Sito del Lago Regillo,' vol. vii. fasc. 2,

the ridge of Costa Caselle, between the famous Macchia di Marino* and the convent of Portuguese Franciscans at Palazzolo, where he locates the "arx"of the. city, i.e., along the northern flank of the Lake of Albario, and upon the rim of its lofty crater.

Gell states the results of his examination of the place, describes a great cave (still to be seen there), and tells how he found vast blocks of masonry, knolls covered with ruins, and traces of a road leading from the sacred Macchia towards the cave and Palazzolo itself.

Now the results of repeated personal examination, in company with Prof. Lan- ciani and others, have convinced me that Gell was at once carried away by his admir- able enthusiasm and a sort of fascination towards Palazzolo and that side of the Lake of Albano. It all burst upon him, as it has sometimes done, erroneously, upon many of us ; and he permitted himself too easily to become convinced. It is true there are dis- tinct traces of an ancient track cut in the rock. There are unmistakable later remains of family tombs. There is also a feature in the nature of the rock which frequently makes one perceive traces of man's handi- work, which, upon closer observation, prove to be the work of nature. There, too, are occasionally holes in the rock which closely resemble " loculi '' ; but these also, upon inspection, turn out to be purely natural formations. In fact, there are abundantly spread around those peculiar temptations which either most easily seduce the archaeo- logical mind, or else put it very severely upon its guard.

And thus far one can entirely agree with Sir William that thereabouts are abundant remains. On examination of these remains, however, what are the results ? They consist entirely of the debris of villas, tanks, and tombs of late consular and imperial times. The ancient road, at best, is a mere track in the rock wide enough for one vehicle, in no sense a street, or approaching the importance of a thoroughfare to a town. The rest is abrupt rock, descending to far-down cultivated vine and, olive yards containing plentiful other remains of villas, &c., likewise belong- ing chiefly to imperial days. "Opus reticu- latum," marble, and brick abound, and the brickstamps tell their tales. In one case, however, I was fortunate enough to discover

with awe this wood in which the Diet 1 of the Latin tribes was wont to be held. They believe that if a tree is felled there the salubrity of their town will depart.
 * The folk of Marino (Castromenium) still regard